Implement for cutting carpets and the like



Jan. 9, 1951 w. K. THOMAS 2,537,287

IMPLEMENT FOR CUTTING CARPETS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 29, 1947 INVENTOR. W////'0m K. Tho/was ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1 951 IMPLEMENT FOR CUTTING CARPETS AND THE LIKE William K. Thomas, Saginaw, Mich.

Application October 29, 1947, Serial No. 782,913

This invention relates to hand implements for cutting rugs, carpets, mats, and other fabrics and work pieces, and more particularly to a new and improved structure and arrangement of cooperating element and devices.

An object is to provide improved blade-holding and guidin devices adapted to allow the user an unobstructed sight along the intended line of cut on the work in advance of the cutting edge; employing therefor a guide member of large area that keeps itself prominently in view like a target, even under difficult circumstances of use, such as poor lighting.

Another object is to provide the implement with a handle having abutment members adapted to be engaged respectively by the users thumb and forefinger for the purpose of pushing the tool rearwardly, or pulling it along the work, thus enabling the user to keep his wrist and hand in a natural position for accurate guiding and cutting.

Other objects are, to provide improved means for rigidly securing the cutting blade and guiding device together and avoidin accidental displacement such as wobbling in use; to prevent improper installation of the blade and the guide in relation to each other when assembling; and to provide means for readily releasing and dismantling them.

Further objects are, to provide a blade-control ling and guiding device for cutting the work along a predetermined line with greater ease, smooth ness, accuracy and speed than has been done with earlier implements; to avoid injury to the users hands or damage to adjacent objects, such as base-boards and floors; and to provide means for progressively raising a portion of the carpet slightly-immediately in advance of the front of the cutting bladeto facilitate the work of cutting.

My invention is exemplified in a cuttin 'im-' plement that comprises individual members and structures in combination, substantially as described and claimed and illustrated in the accord panying drawings.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side view of a cutting implement embodying my invention;

Fig.2 is a top plan view; and

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of parts of a multiple:

' duty guiding device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In a preferred form of my implement the following devices are used:

A unitary head and handle; a cutting blade mounted in a bracket, slotted to provide a seat, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. l; the bracket being secured to the head. by a threaded shank 2 andnut3.

The lower portion 5 of the cutting blade abuts against the seat, being thus kept in fixed position.

6 Claims. (Cl. 30-294) An end, 4, of the bracket, situated a short distance in advance of the cutting edge 5 of the blade and projecting slightly above the bottom end of said edge, serves as a work-lifting member or runner, to bowtho material and stretch its top face adjacent the edge 5, during use of the implement by a pullin movement toward the operator thereby easing the cut and prolonging the usefulness of the blade.

Clogging the knife blade is avoided by a novel feature at the bottom part of the bracket near its and t, as will be described later in the specifications.

The upper portion of the blade is clamped by improved and novel means that will now be described. It is shown generally in Fig. 3 and comprises operating features that attain several desirable results.

' Opposed clamping elements such as disks 6, 1, Fig. 3, preferably saucer-shaped, and of relatively large size, substantially as shown, are carried on the head or handle. They are loosely received on a spindle member such as a bolt that extends through a transverse hole 8 in the head.

Disk clamping and releasing means is provlded, such as the following manually adjustable structure: i

Between disks 5, I is a compressible spring member 9, and on the threaded end I!) of the bolt is a win nut I I. Tightenin the nut H clamps the meeting rims 0f the disks together in substantial alinement with the plane of the bracket, so as to grip the upper part of the cutting edge of the blade between them, at l2, Figs. 1 and 2, while compressing the spring 9. Loosening the nut allows the disks to separate by expansion of member 9. The rims of the disks when.

clamped meet at their bottom periphery l3 and also are tightly in contact at their right-hand or advancin periphery Hi in alinement with the .the above-mentioned raised-up cutting zone over the small arc of contact between the disks and the work face at l3, the closeness of the point it to the cutting edge 5 and the symmetrical shape and large size of the disks all contribute to accuracy in use.

A safety socket is provided by the peripheries of the two clamped disks 6, l. The disk part l4 projects beyond the edge of a shoulder l5 that is formed on the handle and serves as an abutment.-

structed, to assure unusually efficient grips and abutments for the users thumb and fingers. Preferably, the handle is ofiset laterally from the Y plane or". the disks, as is shown at A, Fig. 2.. It.

also may be inclined upwardly with respect to the. head and. to the floor line, as is shown at B. in Fig. 1.

Arecess. is formed at the opposite side of. the handle from the above described safety socket. The rearward end wall ll of the recess is shaped to receive and fit the users forefinger when the cutter is being advanced toward the right, Fig. 2. The position of the forefinger is indicated. by dotted lines.

As previously noted, to prevent cloggin the blade in use, the bottom part [8 of the bracket preferably is curved like a. runner or rocker. It

slides along the fioor underneath the carpet and. whenthe handle is raised or lowered at B the.

part i8 allows the blade to rock on the runner or rocker and thereby change its angle of cutting entranceinto the work without deviating from the predetermined line of out.

Varying. the inclination of the handle and runher in the manner indicated, at B, helps to prevent the carpet or work piece from cloggin at the juncture. of the blade edge 5 and the bracket member- 18-.

Clogging often occurred in earlier where the carpet was directed into the blade between twowalls or tracks, in unchangeable relation to the cutting edge of the blade. Now that difficulty can be avoided by merely altering the tilt of my handle, at B, so as to cause the carpet" to properly feed itself into the blade.

Having thus described my invention, what I" claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In animplement of the class described having a rigid unitary head and handle; a bracketmember fixed to the head and extended therefrom vertically downward and having at itsbot tom a. rigid runner, said bracket and runner formed with a slot having a seat therein; opposed clamping disks mounted adjustablyin relation to each other on a threaded bolt extending' through the head and havin a clamping nut. thereon; said disks when clamped face to face. having the meeting plane of their rims substan-. tially in the same plane as the slot in said: bracket; a blade held rigidly to said. head, between the: bracket and runner and the disks; having the lower end of its cutting edge received in said slot and abutting against'said seat;v the upper end. of the said edge of the blade received.

devices" between the rims of said disks; the disks constituting, in their clamped position, visual sighting and tracing means for assisting in directing the blade edge along a desired line of cut during pulling movements of the implement toward the operator.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said. handle'is offset laterally from the said plane of the disks and cutting blade; an abutment shoulder on said handle at the end of the offset; a peripheral portion of said disks projecting in advance of said shoulder and presenting therewith: a safety socket.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said handle is formed, on the side opposite the disks, with a recess having an end wall shaped to fit. the users forefinger.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said slotted bracket has itsrunner provided with a curved bottom face adapted to accommodate varying inclined positions of the handle during the use Of the implement;

5. In an implement of the character described, the combination of a rigid unitary head and handle, they handle portion being the forward end ofthe tool; a slotted bracket fixed to the head having at' its lower end a runner projecting forwardly and upwardly toward the hand1e;,a cuttingblade removably seated at its-lower end inv the. slot of'saidbracket; a pair of opposed disks received. on a spindle member carried by said head; means on said member for clamping. together and releasingv the disks; the bottom periphery of said disks constituting a tracin element forward of the free end of the runner; the

rearward peripheral portion of the disks,.above the forwardendof'the runner, constituting releasable clamping members for the upper end portion of'said blade.

6. In an implementofthe class describedhaving a" unitary headand handle;v a bracket hired to the head and extend'edtherefrom vertically. downward and having at its bottom a runnerextended in the direction of pulling movements toward. the operator in the use of. the implement;.

sai'd'bracket and runner f'ormedwith a slot and.

WILLIAM Kl 'II-IOIVI AS;

REFERENCES: CITED The following referencesare of record'iin'the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

Number Name Date 6221310- Winkleyet al-. Apr. 4; 1899 757,317 Kinney Apr; 12', i

1.623158:- Blevin et al. Apr; 5, 1'927" 825,108 Webster Sept: 295- I931 2,238,678 Cook Apr. 15; 1 9M. 

